1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug connection having a guide a guide element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motor vehicles may provide a multitude of safety, comfort and informational functions. To this end, different actuators and sensors may be positioned at or in the motor vehicles. A control unit provided in the motor vehicle may, for example, receive and process signals from the sensors and output control signals to the actuators. The more functions provided in a motor vehicle, the greater the demands may be on a control unit, which controls these functions. In particular, a number of electrical lines, which are used for exchanging data and signals between the control unit and sensors and actuators, increases.
In order to allow, for example, assembly, maintenance or repair of the control unit, the lines are generally not rigidly connected to the control unit, but are releasably attached to the control unit via a plug connection. To this end, a plurality of contact elements in the form of, for example, a circuit board having soldering eyelets, are provided on the control unit. In the interior of the control unit, the contact elements may be wired to corresponding signal and data lines leading to, for example, control components or data processing components of the control unit.
In this context, the contact elements on the control unit may interact, for example, with complementary counter-contact elements or pins, which are provided, for example, in a plug connector, e.g., at the end of a wiring harness. In order to produce an electrically conductive connection between the control unit and the lines of the wiring harness, the pins should be positioned as accurately as possible on the contact elements of the control unit. To this end, a guide element may be provided for the pins. However, when the pins are led through the guide element, the pins, in particular, the tin coating of the pins, may be damaged. In addition, the shavings formed may result in contamination of the contact elements.